Getting Started - Introduction to Democracy and Decision Making Flashcards
Government
the people in charge of a society
Democracy
a system of government where the people have a say in how things are done
Direct Democracy
democracy where citizens vote on every law and decision that is to be made
Consensus
everyone comes to an agreement on decisions that need to be made
majority rule
decisions are made by 51% or more of the votes
Values
standards for what we consider important and how people should act
diversity
respecting people from different cultures and backgrounds
Rights
things people are entitled to say and do
Responsibilities
Things people expect you to do or that you must accomplish.
principle
a rule or law
Representation
elected representatives act on behalf of citizens
Equity
treating people fairly; everyone has the same opportunities
freedom
the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants
Justice
fair treatment of individuals and groups
citizen
people who live in a country and have certain rights and freedoms
advantages of consensus
- everyone is heard
- 100% - everyone is happy with the decision
disadvantages of consensus
- can take a long time
- tends to work for very small groups
advantages for representatives
- less time-consuming (efficient)
- Everyone has a say
disadvantages for representatives
- not everyone will be happy
- representative does not do what their group wants
advantages for individual voting by show of hands
- everyone has a say
disadvantages for individual voting by show of hands
- can take a long time counting
- not everyone will be happy
- peer pressure
Representative Democracy
Citizens elect others to represent them in government
advantages of individual voting by secret ballot
- its private, so no pressure - you can choose who you really want
- everyone gets a say
disadvantages of individual voting by secret ballot
- not everyone will be happy
- can take a long time counting ballots
Difference between equity and equality
Equity is giving everyone what they need to be successful (everyone has the same opportunities).
Ex: For people with wheelchairs, the would be ramps installed just for them and stairs for people without.
Equality is treating everyone the same.
Ex: The amount of notebooks grade 6’s are supposed to get.
Definition of Freedom
having the right to say, voice, and express opinions towards a situation.
Ex: You can fight for a speeding ticket/fine if you felt it was not reasonable
Definition of Representation
a way to vote - pick/vote for a person to represent you in the government’s actions
Ex: On May, 2023 we picked Danielle Smith (a representative of the United Conservatives Party) as the premier for Alberta
Definition of Equity
being fair and making people all have the same opportunities.
Ex: Some students may have more homework than others because they may need more/extra practice on different things than the others.
Definition of Justice
everyone is treating fairly in the law. if someone breaks the law, there will be consequences (no matter if you’re rich or poor, race, etc.)
Ex: going to jail/prison because of an incident you were involved in that made someone pass away
Federal Government
responsible for matters that concern the whole country. It is located in the capital of the country (in this case, Ottawa). The people have to vote in the capital.
Provincial Government
deals with matters that affect the people in a province. It is located in the capital city of the province (Edmonton, for example). People have to vote in the capital of their province/territory.
local government
these are elected in cities, towns, villages, reserves, settlements, and other local areas across Canada. People have to live in the local area to vote.
Why do we have different levels of government?
We have 3 levels of government because this helps to balance the needs of people living in different parts of the country.
